Jukebox
by Star of Airdrie
Summary: And that's why Nightwing was in Outer Space: to go back to Tamaran. He hoped that there wasn't a wedding to stop on this trip. But Starfire hadn't left due to a betrothal this time. She left because, quite simply, Nightwing had been an ass. Hiatus for now
1. Chapter 1

Here is a new story that was a plot bunny that has been writing itself. The plot bunny attacked and placed me in front of my computer. Part of the story is based on a story I outlined years ago, but fits for this story in the Teen Titans Fandom and once the plot bunny picked that up, we were off to the races... er, the computer.

Time Period: After the cartoon series Teen Titans and the comic Teen Titans Go! has ended. Robin has become Nightwing and has broken up with Starfire after they had been were together since Tokyo. As is canon, his secret identity is Dick Grayson, the first Robin of the comics. I've also incorporated some aspects of the comics including the clever Starfire with a strong warrior side. Although the miniseries comic "Prodigal Son" is mentioned, I've not actually read it cause it is out of print and so, so expensive on eBay, so I've interpreted it very loosely to fit my story.

This is a stand alone piece as I write it now (not related to my stories _A Day Off, June Fete and Lavaliere_) but it is consistent with _Auld Lang Syne _and therefore that story can be considered a prequel. I guess the same can go for _Lost in the Flood_, which takes place right after the cartoon incarnation of the Teen Titans team forms.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans. They belong to DC Comics with the cartoon rights owned by Warner Brothers and surprisingly I don't own them either. I do own the 'Jukebox' concept, which will be explained later in the story.

Warnings: T to start, may go up, for adult situations and language. Also, there are some religious references in this first chapter. Please don't flame. If not truly canon there are indications in the comics that Dick Grayson was of Christian faith, most likely Protestant. They are relatively minor to the story as a whole and the assumption I am making is that he has some belief in God. Oh, and there's racism or more precisely 'anti-nonhumanism', 'anti-alienism'.

Main Characters mentioned in this chapter (I know you guys know these players but thought I'd still list them):

Nightwing – Richard 'Dick' Grayson (human)

Starfire – Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran (Tamaranean)

Cyborg – Victor Stone (cybernetically enhanced human)

Batman – Bruce Wayne (human)

Superman – Kal-El of Krypton, with the 'human' alias of Clark Kent (Kryptonian)

Beast Boy – Garfield Logan (human with mutations)

Raven – Rachel Roth (½ human, ½ demon)

Batgirl – Barbara 'Babs' Gordon (human) – this is before she is paralyzed by the Joker's bullet and become Oracle

Sorry, lots of introductory author's notes, shortish first chapter... now on with the story:

Jukebox

Chapter 1

"Man, this is worse than the bar scene from Star Wars", muttered the hero Nightwing, the former sidekick Robin and still leader of the Titans, to himself. It was in fact quite a bit like the bar scene from Star Wars. But this is where he found himself: the ship had to refuel and be inspected, and the station was where you had to do those things in this sector. He could have waited with the T-ship but Cyborg was driving him crazy. Of course Nightwing had broken the heart of the closest thing Cyborg had to a sister. So he wandered off and found the bar.

It wasn't the multitude of alien races or would it be more correct to say, alien species that had him thinking of the famous movie scene. He had spent enough time with people from other worlds as a hero for it to really bother him. Although most of these individuals wouldn't have powers, which was probably a good thing as he felt the undercurrent of hostility between certain patrons. It was the subdued lighting, the multiple languages (everyone in the Justice League and the Titans pretty much stuck with English), and the sleazy bar-ness about the place. One can only guess what went on in this establishment. The worst bar in Bludhaven was much cleaner, much more 'legit'.

He looked around for anyone he knew, although not likely, it was possible. It was a small universe after all. He didn't even notice that many humans, but plenty of humanoids. He briefly wondered why the erect biped was such a universal design. His secular and his scientific side thought of natural selection and evolution but his Protestant upbringing kept him hopeful for an 'in His image' design to the beings of the universe.

He stopped a moment to pray to the God that he really hoped was there, that he wanted to believe was there. He had prayed for guidance and strength frequently in his life. He had prayed for these things in his relationship with Starfire, but this was the first time he remembered praying that Starfire would take him back.

And that's why he was in Outer Space: to go back to Tamaran. He hoped that there wasn't a wedding to stop this time. But Starfire hadn't left due to a betrothal this time – she left because, quite simply, Nightwing had been an ass.

Their relationship was good for a long time, or so he thought. But he would later realize he started to take advantage of Starfire's giving nature, ignoring her for days at a time, allowing himself to become obsessed or just self-focused. Always being heroes first. Taking for granted that she would be there. But her love for Nightwing and her loyalty to him and their relationship was tested far too many times. And when he got glimpses of the warrior that she truly was along with the side that was his beautiful princess, he would jump to conclusions that she would not be able to contain that side of herself. He would yell at her, even pull her off of duty, although she never went over the line. Starfire always held back, there was simply no choice and she was fine with it. She knew that heroes didn't kill and she knew she was far too sensitive to let that happen. For pity's sake, she apologized to Cinderblock after attacking him on more than one occasion. Raven might be the team's Empath, but Starfire truly had empathy for all things, even the occasional inanimate one.

Then there was when Bane had injured Batman so badly, leaving Nightwing's mentor's body broken. Batman was only human, and Bruce Wayne needed to heal like a human. Well, like a human with the best of the best medicine and technology the universe had to offer.

So Nightwing came home, back to Gotham, back to the Bat Family. A Prodigal Son? Perhaps, but Bruce Wayne's love was much more conditional than the father in the parable from the pages of the Gospel according to Luke. But in his own way, Bruce was happy that Nightwing, or rather Dick Grayson, had come home in his time of need.

Taking up the mantle of Batman had been hard on Dick. It had been harder on Starfire. It wasn't just the physical distance. Dick modeled Bruce's behavior more than ever now that he wore the cowl. He became darker, more of a loner. He no longer enjoyed the sunrise or the sunsets. He became the night.

It didn't help that quite frankly, Bruce Wayne and even his Batman persona was xenophobic. He tried to explain it as he didn't trust anyone, that he was always _that_ paranoid. But when Dick finally really thought about it, Batman (and Bruce) _always_ had kryptonite with him. Superman was a fairly close friend, as close a friend as Batman has, and a member of the core 7 members of the Justice League. But Batman never trusted him. Not fully. Even before he temporarily turned evil. Not so secretly, Bruce believed aliens couldn't be trusted.

Bruce never liked Starfire. Not that he thought that dating a teammate was ever acceptable, but he really didn't want Starfire to be with Nightwing, or Kory Anders to be with Dick Grayson. He hadn't been crazy about the time when, still as Robin, Dick dated Babs, who was Batgirl. But Bruce wished he hadn't discouraged it. She was older than Dick and he dismissed it at the time as puppy love, but at least she was human. Still even when _they_ were team members, and there should never be dating within the team as far as Batman was concerned, Babs was definitely the lesser of two evils.

But that was how Bruce felt and not how Dick felt. But Dick let Bruce influence him, always wanting to please him, and after those months back in Gotham, things got worse and worse with Kory. He cursed himself for it, but he had spent time with Babs that was not just work or Bat Family time. Not that he cheated on Kory physically, but perhaps emotionally. During that time he found himself thinking of Kory more and more as an alien and less as his best friend and girlfriend. It was a betrayal that he would have to admit to Kory _if _she took him back so that there were no secrets. Boy, that was a conversation that when he thought about it, he practically shuddered. It didn't help that Babs had made more than a few sexual overtures, although Dick did not give in to temptation. Things might be completely lost if anything on those lines had happened.

TtTtTtTtTt

Here you have the first chapter. All set up, no dialog, sorry but hopefully its an interesting enough premise. Please review and let me know what you think!

Next up: Nightwing returns to Titans Tower and things get off on the wrong foot:

"I would like to do the forgiving of you for ignoring me, your girlfriend, since your return home, but our friends have made an effort to welcome you back to the tower, back to the role of leader of the Teen Titans, and you sit here in your office like a _klorbag._"

_Klorbag_. Perhaps not her best choice of words, no matter how accurate it described him at that moment. It was another reminder that Starfire was different, an alien, and all the reasons why that was what made them a such a special couple were forgotten. He got defensive.

"I don't care about a party, Starfire! I've been getting my butt kicked all over Gotham for months and now that I'm back, I've got to make sure everything is in order here with the Titans."

"If there was difficulty for you in Gotham, why did you not call me or the Titans or the Justice League for assistance?" she countered.

_Because Bruce would never do that...._ he thought as his eyes narrowed. No matter how beautiful she was when she was angry, and those glowing green eyes made it obvious she was angry, he began to fall into the trap of having to win the argument, no matter what the cost...


	2. Chapter 2

Hi! Wow I can't believe the response to this story! 20% of those who read it reviewed it the first day! That's so great! What a super early Christmas present!

Additional Characters appearing / mentioned in this chapter:

The Flash – formerly Kid Flash - Wally West (human with superspeed, superhuman reflexes and can defy a few laws of physics) – no longer a Teen Titans, now a Justice League Member

Black Canary – Dinah Lance (human with a sonic scream that can incapacitate people and shatter objects; accomplished martial artist) – Justice League Member

Green Arrow – Oliver Queen (human with incredible archery skills and hitech arrows) – Justice League Member

Speedy – Roy Harper – former sidekick of Green Arrow (human with incredible archery skills and hitech arrows)

The Herald - Malcolm Duncan - (human who has 'Gabriel's Horn' that can open portals to other places and other dimensions)

.

The break up is not going to be a single, catastrophic event, but as is with most break-ups of serious relationships in life, its a series of events that is often followed by the killing or death blow.

.

Jukebox

.

Chapter 2

.

Bruce finally healed enough to return to the line of duty and soon Dick Grayson became Nightwing again and headed back to Jump City and the Titans Tower via the Bat Plane. He wasn't surprised that there was a celebration upon his return, but what did surprise him was that it was not only the four other team members were there to greet him, but also the Titans East and many of the Honorary Titans as well.

He entered the tower, scanning the room. His mind-set singular, he said a curt, "Hello, Titans", before heading directly to his office, set to go through all the paperwork from when he was in Gotham. This left everyone, including a previously very happy Starfire, standing there in a decorated Ops, complete with a "Welcome Home, Nightwing" banner, without the guest of honor.

Dick had done his duty to his family and he now sat in his office and began to review the Titans paperwork. Although it wasn't perfect, Starfire, Raven and Cyborg had done a great job in his stead. It wasn't Beast Boy's forte and he certainly didn't mind not being involved, it gave him more Game Station time. The most consistant work was from Starfire, who had been actually paying attention during the rare times that Dick stopped to show her the right, that is the 'Nightwing', way of doing things. He was surprised at first, but why would he be? She was certainly intelligent, although sometimes naïve of the ways of the Earth. She had trained with the Warlords of Okaara. She was also a princess of a fairly civilized planet, of a warrior race, and she was raised to lead. The cataloging and reporting of crimes and missions was hardly beyond her abilities or skill set.

He felt warm inside when he realized this. But in a classic misunderstanding known to happen in the natural history of a couple, he didn't get a chance to mention it before she appeared at his office door two and a half hours later.

"Nightwing, may I enter your office?" Starfire said with a cool tone.

Nightwing bristled. When really upset, Starfire called him Nightwing instead of Dick or Richard.

"Come in Starfire," he replied, not bothering to greet her or even turn toward her.

"The Titans East and the Honorary Titans will be heading back to the cities they protect shortly. Do you not wish to spend some of the time with our friends before they leave?"

"Uh, sure Star, just give me a sec," Dick replied, with some warmth to his tone that did not go unnoticed by Kory, as he shot her the slightest of sidewards glances.

But she had just about had enough. She wanted to let it go, allowing herself to hear the nickname 'Star' and let it make her feel all those wonderful joyful feelings that their relationship gave her. She was even beginning to do so, but as she continued to stand there for a full five minutes (she kept an eye on the clock just to be sure) she was reaching her breaking point.

"Nightwing!" Starfire said sharply as that final 300th second ticked away.

"What?" he replied, more forcefully than he meant to, clearly startled.

"I would like to do the forgiving of you for ignoring me, your girlfriend, since your return home. I understand your dedication to your work. But our friends have made an effort to welcome you back to the tower, back to the role of leader of the Teen Titans, and you sit here in your office ignoring the gesture like a _klorbag_."

_Klorbag_. Not that _she_ would know it, but it was perhaps not her best choice of words, no matter how accurate it described him at that moment. It was another reminder that Starfire was different, that she was an alien. It didn't matter that being so different was one of the many reasons why they were such a special couple. Yup, all that was forgotten. Nightwing got defensive.

"I don't care about a party, Starfire! I've been getting my butt kicked all over Gotham for months and now that I'm back, I've got to make sure everything is in order here with the Titans," he exploded, finally facing her.

"If there was difficulty for you in Gotham, why did you not call me or the Titans or the Justice League for assistance?" she countered.

_Because Bruce would never do that...._ he thought as his eyes narrowed. No matter how beautiful she was when she was angry, and those glowing green eyes made it obvious she was angry, he began to fall into the trap of having to win the argument, no matter what the cost...

He was still gathering his ammunition from his arsenal of clever and sharp quips when Starfire took the opportunity to continue, "Was the Batgirl not enough assistance to you? I did notice in reports that she was present during a number of your missions," Starfire said, uncaring that her words dripped with jealousy.

Nightwing could have sworn that Starfire's hair was blowing in some non-existent wind in his small office. She was livid and he knew it. He felt more than a twinge of regret that Starfire knew that he had gone on so many missions with Batgirl. So many more missions than the 'real' Batman would have. He had spent too much time with Babs. But for the moment Dick said nothing and soon returned his thinking to various tactics for winning the argument...

Starfire waited for a few moments hoping that Nightwing would say something. As much as she hated when they argued, at least it meant he _felt _something. She didn't care what it would be: it could be a snarky comment, even an insult, or hopefully a compliment. But she wasn't sure what he was feeling right then, if anything.

"It appears that the _grishnik_ has got your tongue."

In Nightwing's state of mind, another Tamaranean word was just another reminder of how different they were and he stayed defensive. Time to win the argument.

"I said I don't have time for it Starfire."

"Is the paperwork not up to your standards? I believe we followed your examples quite faithfully."

The paperwork was fine, and Dick knew it, but again, he still had an argument to win...

"I won't know that until I review all of it."

"And this is how you wish to spend tonight, how you wish to spend the first few hours that you have been in this tower, in your _home_, for a number of months?"

"The work can't wait," his voice tightening further.

"The work waited for the months while you were the Batman for what you insist to be the necessity of your the approval. Nothing dire happened. And I can assure you that the work was complete in its entirety as per your specifications."

"It is _my_ responsibility." Dick replied, as it occurred to him Kory had not pulled the 'girlfriend' card out yet.

"A responsibility that you transferred to other members of your team while you were in Gotham," she countered. She was good in a debate as long as her emotions didn't get the most of her.

Dick really wanted her to use said girlfriend card. Then he could be satisfied that although he was a stern leader, maybe he could, just this once, be a bit softer with his girlfriend...

"Yes, but it must be reviewed and it can't wait," his tone firm, although the volume of his voice was lower.

"But it waited for all those weeks that you were busy with the Batgirl," Starfire matched him in tone and volume.

Ouch. No need to continue to moderate the volume. "You're just jealous!"

"Should I be?" Starfire asked again matching the volume of his voice, concerned that maybe she really _should _be jealous. This was not how her boyfriend behaved. As obsessed as he got, as single-minded, as goal oriented: she realised he was now different, or at least acting different.

He drew a breath. "Do you think I would do that to you?"

"I do not think I know what you would do. I do not I believe I know you as well as I thought, Nightwing!"

With that Starfire left, not wanting to have him see her in tears, and Nightwing was flabbergasted. He wasn't done! The argument, er, discussion wasn't over yet!

He growled under his breath and set out after her when he was intercepted outside his office by Wally West, the former Kid Flash who was now the Flash and part of the Justice League.

"Dick, hey coming up to the party?" Wally asked, standing as still as he ever did. "Kory came down awhile ago and I wasn't sure what was keeping you but some of the Titans are getting ready to leave, figured you wanted to say 'hi', uh, I mean 'bye'. Me, I'll be around for awhile seeing I'm the fastest boy – I mean man – alive!"

Nightwing's shoulders slumped a bit, having been essentially called out by one of his oldest friends who was also the first of their generation of heroes to move up to the Justice League. He looked at Wally's expectant expression. He really should be nice to his visitors. "I'm coming, I'm coming," his expression softened, "Jeez, you think a guy could get a little work done around here." It sounded like he was joking, but he really wasn't.

"So, uh, just when its the two of us, uh, what's going on with you and Starfire?"

"Nothing," Dick replied, his tone returning to the tightness it had earlier.

"Nothing as in 'nothing's wrong' or nothing as in 'there is nothing between us'? 'Cause well, I kinda heard through the grapevine that you and Babs were-"

"Babs and I were what?" Time to be flabbergasted again.

"Well, rekindling the old flame," he looked around making sure they were alone. Wally knew of Dick's stint as the Batman as one of the original seven of the Justice League. All the Titans with the exception of Starfire were told he was on a training mission off-planet. Wally continued, "You were back in Gotham, being the Bats, and well Babs told Dinah, ya know, Black Canary-"

"What?!? Wait, I've got to hear this, let's go back to the office," Dick said and ushered Wally back to his office, not wanting anyone to overhear. "What did you hear?" he demanded.

"Man, chill, talk about killing the messenger..."

"Sorry."

"All I heard was that there was some flirting going on."

Dick's eyes widened behind his mask, "Nothing happened." He paused, "Has Starfire heard that? Has she said anything about it?"

"Not to me, no. But Roy heard about it of course cause Black Canary told the Green Arrow, so Speedy's was hitting on Starfire-"

"What!?!"

"Dude, I told you, don't kill the messenger!"

"I'm going to kill her-"

"Who?" Dick didn't answer, so Wally prompted, clearly shocked, "Kill who, Babs or Kory?" Wally paused to consider his friend, who looked almost as angry as he ever had seen him, "Before you answer that, you should know Kory threw Roy into a wall when he tried to kiss her earlier-"

"Speedy did what?" Dick demanded as he loomed over the redheaded speedster.

"Dude, seriously. Don't. Kill. The. Messenger."

"Sorry," Dick replied, just the smallest bit sheepishly.

"Speedy came to the party early, said something to Starfire and cornered her, kissed her against her loud verbal protests, and ended up embedded into the dry wall. She screamed at him in what I assume is Tamaranean, then translated for him and I had no idea she even _knew_ those words. He mumbled something about a separated shoulder and had Herald open a portal to the Titans Tower in Steel City."

Dick smirked a bit. Good for Kory. But he had to have a word or two with Babs.

TtTtTtTtTt

"Sorry guys," Nightwing said as he found himself looking at the floor, feeling many sets of eyes on him, rubbing his neck a bit in embarrassment as he entered Ops. Dick managed to relax ever so slightly while he interacted with his guests, but to most in the room, he seemed fine.

But the four other denizens of the tower knew he was off. Cyborg could monitor his biological signs (in addition to knowing him very well), Raven could read his emotions and peak into his mind due to their link, Beast Boy used his animal instincts to smell the subtle difference of his sweat, and Starfire just _knew_.

But during the party, or what was left of it, Dick and Kory did gravitate each other. There was such a magnetic attraction between them. There always had been. Heck, everyone knew they were attracted to each other way, way before they admitted it to themselves. Each felt as awkward as they had ever felt, but save Raven, Cyborg and Beast Boy, no one seemed to notice. They certainly seemed couple-ish enough and even if it was just for appearances sake, which Starfire feared, it didn't seem to raise any suspicions among the Titan ranks.

Dick saw a dullness to Starfire's eyes that he hadn't seen before during their interaction at the party. He knew they had things to talk about, but he didn't realize that things were already set into motion, and that their relationship was headed south.

Wally remained to help clean up after the other Titans had returned to their respective cities, but soon he was off to the Watchtower. He was the only other person who knew something was up with Dick, having known him so long and having had the conversation he had with Dick in Dick's office before returning to the party. The Flash would be sure to get _all _the gossip from his associations at the JLA. Just as he was a harmless flirt, he was a harmless gossip. Plus, as was often his role in missions, his emphasis would be on reconnaissance, as a one-man advance team as it were. Just so he could give Dick a heads up about what was being said, if anything was, and also cause, you know, Wally might get a kick out of what he heard.

TtTtTtTtTt

"Kory, I-" Dick started, finding himself at her door, torn over how to wish her goodnight.

"No talking," she said, and he wasn't sure if she was about to kiss him or send him on his way. "You have travelled far today and it has been a difficult time for you-"

He cut her off with a kiss. Because she paused, surprised by the gesture, she never got a chance to return it before Dick pulled back from her, that lopsided grin she used to see so often when he was young adorning his face.

"Good night, Kory." he said softly.

It wasn't at all as rough as it might sound when Kory grabbed the front of his uniform and pulled him in for another kiss, this one much more intense. "Good night, Richard," she purred, her eyes finally shining. They shared a look, and then her door closed in front of him.

TtTtTtTtTt

A/N: remember what I said before the chapter, it isn't 'a single, catastrophic event, but as is with most break-ups of serious relationships, its a series of events'. Man, I'm quoting myself...

Anyway, more trouble ahead as the Team regroups and restarts training and missions. A bit of insight, because there maybe questions: Starfire has her room, Nightwing has his, nothing is wrong when they said goodnight. They may be older and in love but that doesn't mean they're intimate.

If you've read me before, I am new to fiction and tend to belabor and argue points as I've had to in my non-fiction writing related to my profession. Let me know if I need to scale back, if it turns out to be too much about the multiple factors that lead up to an event. I'm getting great and positive feedback, but I'd like any suggestions people can have. At least I'm not speaking hospital-eze in this one!

Thanks so much for reading and please, keep the reviews coming!

LJ


	3. Chapter 3

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS CHAPTER 3 again! There are some minor changes, additions however so you may wish to reread it anyway.

I was planning on editing this chapter and making some changes and I ended up deleting it rather than exporting it, so here is the reuploaded chapter. Again there are some changes and it is certainly more readable.

I am writing chapter 4 and hopefully it will be up by 6/15 or so.

Sorry for any confusion.

.

Disclaimer: All of the DC Universe: Not mine – not now, not ever.

.

Additional Characters and details of the DC Universe mentioned in this chapter:

Nightwing's drinks: the worlds mentioned are all from the Green Lantern comics although I made up all the beverages.

Hawkwoman – Shayera Thal (Thanagarian) – Member of the Justice League. Thanagarians are hominids with wings.

Batrassusian – Hominids with white pupil-less eyes and blue skin. There is Batrassusian Green Lantern.

Grace Choi – no separate hero name – (metahuman) - former bounty hunter and bouncer for the Metropolis bar Chaney's, Grace is a metahuman who joined the Outsiders for the time and had a fling with Roy (Speedy/Arsenal) among many others (Green Arrow, Plastic Man...) and is in a relationship with Anissa Pierce (Thunder).

Thunder – Anissa Pierce – (metahuman) daughter of Black Thunder with superhuman strength and various abilities that effect density. In a relationship with Grace.

.

**Jukebox**

.

**Chapter 3**

.

Nightwing remained at the place at the interstellar space station's bar that he had occupied for over 90 minutes of Earth time, reflecting on his life, his choices and the mistakes he made with Starfire.

He was on his 4th different beer-like beverage from different worlds: Pale Ale from Tumbla IV, Xanshi rotgut, C'ythonia port, and the Qwardian Cream Ale. All allegedly beer-like, interstellar laws sanctioned that to be served at such an establishment, all such beverages had to have very small amounts of alcohol in them, reminiscent of the "near beer" Dick remembered sneaking with older friends as a child when he lived at the circus. Of course there was essentially no alcohol in Pablo, Vivo or his favorite, Bevo, those malt beverages he remembered from his youth that were manufactured by major US breweries. And just as there was little alcohol in those, there was very little in what he was currently drinking, so the point of drinking them was only for quenching the thirst and for the taste.

Not that drinking would solve anything. If it would, he was pretty certain that he could get a hold of a variety of alcoholic, narcotic and other mind-altering substances at this bar; perhaps even from the bartender. But then again, for Dick Grayson and for Nightwing, alcohol hadn't ever solved anything.

He certainly didn't need the depressing effects of alcohol to feel bad about the situation with Starfire. He felt terrible before about it and he felt terrible now and the closer he got to Tamaran, the more worse he felt – if that was even possible – and anxious he became that this was the last shot he would ever have to make things right with her.

Dick had been fairly good at brooding earlier in his life when he was Robin and then when he was Nightwing, but after his stink as Batman, he realized he had quite a knack for it. And self-loathing? He could beat himself up with the best of them.

He reflected on yet another way he drove Starfire away: by resenting her powers and shunning the warrior side of her.

She could go toe-to-toe with Superman and Wonder Woman; she had that _ability_ but she always held back. She hadn't crossed the line since that first day when she escaped from the Gordanians, the day she arrived on Earth. Even though she practically destroyed Cyborg's neighborhood in Jump City, no lives were taken.

At that moment, Dick had a revelation: he realized, as he reflected as he stood at that bar, how amazing she truly was. That someone who had been a slave, a captive, who was routinely beaten and abused, in so many ways could have and even should have turned out very differently. Koriand'r somehow came out kinder, gentler. She was better than most people. How could he never have realized that strength of character? He always considered his own high moral standards. Starfire was shown no compassion, treated indecently and brutally by people or rather creatures that had no morals, yet she lived easily within a hero's moral code, transforming before his eyes (as well as the rest of the team's) that fateful day she escaped the Gordanians and the reptilian hominids continued to pursue her.

Sure, he always acknowledged she was special, that she used her powers with enough restraint to get the job done and not go overboard. But for a time, Dick lost sight of even that.

On the day after he came home from Gotham and his stint as Batman, there was a 7 AM call to the outdoor training course. Cyborg and Beast Boy were less than pleased, and even Raven grumbled. Practices were never before 8 AM, but between being on East Coast Time and being used to the Batman way of doing things again, 7 AM seemed like slumming it to Nightwing.

As for Nightwing himself, he had a few hours of sleep after feeling pretty good about that kiss goodnight with Starfire. After he awoke at about 3 AM Jump time, he was back in his office and going over the perfectly executed paperwork done primarily by Starfire. How could thing have worked out so well while he was gone? Surely, things didn't go this smoothly, not in every aspect.

For whatever reason, that made him uneasy. Very uneasy. And for the new and not so improved Dick Grayson, that uneasy feeling needed to be investigated. Thoroughly.

As opposed to the rest of the Titans that morning, Starfire was her bright and cheery self. That time of year the sun was up early. She had some time to bask in the restorative power of Sol, the Earth's Sun, prior to practice.

She also had her dear Richard back. Sure, it was a somewhat disappointing reunion. Well, at least at first, but there was that goodnight kiss which was glorious. His earlier mood she attributed to jet lag – she had learned that because of human's lack of light speed travel, they do suffer from such a thing – but he was home after so long and to her that was what was important. Not that her love for him faded for a moment during his extended absence. Sure, he did not communicate regularly, but he was busy; and yes, he spent time with Babs, his former teammate and girlfriend, but he must have been lonely without his teammates. It was understandable, forgivable.

In her world, they would be considered soul mates, and she knew that they should be together always.

Nightwing was there first of course, ready to put everyone, including himself, through their paces. Lord only knows how much they were slacking in his absence. In fact, he had been quite concerned about that. Even though they had somehow pulled off the paperwork, at least from what he had seen so far, he was certain that their training must have suffered. At least everyone was on time, which was a good sign, Nightwing did have to concede that point. And Cyborg, Beast Boy and Raven kept their annoyance for lack of a better term in check. Starfire as expected was exuberant. Very, very exuberant.

Nightwing took to the course first. Naturally, he had to set the example. He pushed himself harder than ever: he was moving faster, handspringing over a boulder as if it were a vaulting horse, using spinning sidekicks to knock down the robot hazards, using his escrima sticks to bash the face of the crash test dummies, then shooting a grappling hook to swing across a large ravine. It was a bolder, bigger, more fluid and downright more impressive mastery of the course. He had improved during his time in Gotham, and even though Starfire was the only one on the team that actually knew that he was there and not training off-planet, his teammates were in awe of their 'powerless' leader.

Starfire's heart soared. She was so proud of her beloved. He worked so hard, sacrificed so much. He would truly be a most accomplished leader on her world as well. And that is perhaps why she took it so hard when he was so critical of her.

Maybe in the back of Nightwing's mind was the information on the complete report of all the things that Blackfire had done. Things that Starfire was unaware of. Things he hoped she would never learn. In his thoughts would also have been what Bruce had him read about when Superman became evil. Of course that was a not too subtle way for Bruce to warn Dick about what can happen when a very powerful alien turns deadly, goes rogue, and stops fighting for truth and justice. Bruce was quite direct when he pointed out that Starfire escaped from the Citadel, from the Psions, and from the Gordanians. That for her there was no Kryptonite – there was nothing that at least Bruce knew of that could stop her.

Of course Nightwing knew there was one way to stop Starfire, or at least partially disable her for a time, and he was the only one who could: he could break her heart.

Starfire attacked the course. She was fast but accurate. Surgical in her strikes using just enough force. But Nightwing saw a different picture. She _could_ be deadly. She could lay ruin, do so much damage. Although she in fact minimized collateral damaged, knocking over rather than destroying many of the obstacles in a minimum of hits and starbolts, it was her momentum and her intensity that struck a cord with Nightwing and not surprisingly he came out yelling.

"Stop! Stop it now Starfire! Halt!" Nightwing yelled. At that point, she was through roughly one-third of the robots, and only about one-fourth of her set course.

She flew over quickly, looking anxious. "Yes, Richard?"

"Rein it in Starfire, if those were people, you'd be killing them!" he barked, his nostrils flared.

"Very well-"

Cyborg interrupted, "Are you crazy man? Her strikes are just pushing those robots over! Your sidekicks could kill easily if you caught someone in the trachea!"

"Cyborg, this isn't about me, it's about Starfire-"

"Who is doing a great job-"

"Cyborg, I am going to ask you to stand back and be quiet. I am leading this exercise. Starfire, resume the course where you were but I need you to hold back."

Starfire's shoulders slumped, the amplitude of her hovering dropped to only inches above the ground, "Very well Nightwing."

He bristled at being called 'Nightwing' by Starfire, as he tended to do. However, home under a day, it was affecting him less. He decided he didn't really care. He had to be the best leader he could be, not worry about his girlfriend. If worrying about her was going to get in his way well... he'd have some things he'd need to reconsider. Maybe Batman was right about dating on the team, about Metahumans, about _Aliens_... and what Blackfire was capable of. Well they say that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree – that has to apply to siblings also, right?

Refocusing on the present, he saw that Starfire was soon back on the course. Her speed was roughly the same, but her strikes were almost gentle, the targets rocking back and forth before falling over. Nightwing only saw the speed.

"Hold up Starfire! Get over here!" His tone was sharper, harsher. It bit into her.

Starfire flew up. She was perturbed now, annoyed really. Her strikes were obviously light. They would not have slowed down a toddler, let alone a Sladebot.

It wasn't her fault and she couldn't control it: her eyes glowed green. And it was intimidating to Nightwing.

His voice rumbled, coming out from deep in his chest, "What is that for? Are you angry with me?" Nightwing said, pointing at her, toward her eyes.

It was an autonomic response. Out of her control, the glow only brightened in response to Nightwing's confrontation. Had he not been so out of his mind with anger, he would have remembered that.

Seeing them intensify to his words, he felt threatened, "Starfire, you are done! And if you can't control your eyebeams..."

Cyborg interrupted again. If anyone knew Starfire's physiology, he did, "Dude, it's not her eyebeams, remember, her eyes glow when she is stressed or upset or angry-"

"Cyborg, if I needed your so-called expertise, I'd beat it-"

"Do not finish that threat, Dick." Cyborg said, straightening up to be sure to tower over him.

Raven had had enough, "Stop it. This arguing is pointless. The emotions here are running far too high for us to be at all productive today."

Starfire was barely able to hold back her tears, "Nightwing, I believe you are doing the pulling of me from the training today, yes? If that is th-the ca-case, may I-I be ex-excused, p-pleased?"

Nightwing looked at her hard. The glow in her eyes had lessened, tears were evident and part of him felt regret. But only part.

"Starfire, you are excused and also off missions until further notice."

"Dude, what?" Beast Boy finally had said something. He had watched all this, increasingly uncomfortable in what Nightwing had become, wondering if Nightwing had his own version of the Beast that had been unleashed.

Starfire just turned and walked away. Yes, walked. So it was proven to Dick. It _was_ true. If he ever had to stop Starfire he could. He just had to break her heart. But in his current state of mind, he didn't consider that no one should have that kind of power over another person, let alone the person that they love.

TtTtTtTtTt

As he leaned on the bar, one hip cocked, Nightwing could feel many eyes on him. Friendly and unfriendly, eyes were on him, not that it was something unusual. He wore his black and blue uniform, with his mask in place of course, escrima sticks at the ready attached to his back and bird-a-rangs and various other items tucked here and there just in case.

He almost smirked when one particularly attractive Thanagarian female was taking an interest in him. She stood purposefully just inside his peripheral vision, preening the iridescent feathers of her wings, a particularly provocative gesture.

After the display, she the approached Nightwing, shoulders squared, chest out, intent on getting his full attention. Fortunately or unfortunately, there was some space along the bar to the right of Nightwing. Such company was not necessarily what he needed at the moment.

"An Earthling and one who appears to be a Hero gracing our little way station. So, on a mission, handsome?" She purred as she leaned in with her chest, batting her eye lashes at him.

But even if she had been as attractive as Shayera, and she wasn't, he wouldn't be interested. He was a one woman man, by God, he was. Well, he was going to try. Really, really hard. Because she was worth it. Starfire, Koriand'r, his Star, his Kory was worth it.

"I'm Tyva, and I asked if you were on a mission," she said with a pout.

"Something like that," he replied, looking forward, keeping a stone-cold expression.

"Buy a thirsty girl a Thanagarian Brandy Alexander?"

"No thank you."

"Well, that wasn't nice at all, Hero, and I should inform you the I can be very appreciative. And by appreciative I mean-"

"No. Not interested."

She leaned in, a sneer on her face, "Your loss. Earthlings are weak anyway, not worth the effort to undress."

He didn't take the bait and fortunately she turned and walked away, stalking a poor unsuspecting Batrassusian.

TtTtTtTtTt

Nightwing was surprised by the rush of relief he felt that he was able to brush off the winged beauty. All he would have needed was Cyborg to have observed the interchange, no matter how innocent. But for the moment, his glass was empty and he figured he might as well have another.

He notice a very tall woman, even taller than Kory, behind the bar. There must have been a change of shift for the bartenders. He was off his game: that was the kind of thing he would always notice.

"Excuse me," he started, the bartender turned and he nearly gasped in shock, "Grace?"

"My, my, my... what are you doing here Nightwing?" Grace Choi asked. The 7' tall Eurasian Metahuman had known Nightwing well when he lead the Outsiders and she was a member.

"Long story, my friend, long story," he replied with a sad smile.

Grace had some secrets: her part-Amazonian heritage and the source of her Meta-powers that only Nightwing had any idea about, and those he only knew by deduction. Those were her secrets and he knew how to respect that. She appreciated that greatly. But that wasn't to say that they didn't know a great deal about each other, that they hadn't shared a lot as team members and friends.

"Well lucky for you, this bartender is an outstanding listener and I can provide you with some excellent advice," Grace said with a smile.

Nightwing couldn't help but smile back, "I could use a friendly face... and ear."

"But not any other kind of friendly, I'm still with Thunder," she said, still allowing her tone to be flirtatious.

"How is Anissa?" Dick asked of her long time girlfriend.

"Good, real good. Who knew that monogamy could be so... satisfying?"

Oh, Nightwing knew, and that was pretty much the reason he was on his little trek.

"It can be really something, can't it?" he said with a smile.

Grace looked at him knowingly, her bartender's instincts kicking in, "I have a feeling there is quite a story there. I have my private stock if you'd like it..."

"No thanks, I'll have the Rhoon Porter. I don't need the hard stuff."

"I have the Apokolips Hard Cider, it's amazing."

"Anything from that planet, anything with that name, I won't touch out of general principle, no matter how highly you recommend it."

"Alright. I'll get the Porter. And then you can tell me what you did this time to the Princess and we'll figure out how you can win her back."

"How did you know it had anything to do with Koriand'r?" Dick asked, surprised. Was he that readable?

Grace shot him a you've-got-to-be-kidding-me look, "Why else would you be all the way out here, heading toward the Vega Star system? Plus, only for Starfire would you turn down a hot Thanagarian!"

TtTtTtTtTt

To Be Continued...

TtTtTtTtTt

Please read and review

And again, sorry about the reupload of this chapter. Chapter 4 should be up soon!

LJ


	4. Chapter 4

Here is the next chapter of Jukebox and we finally hear a bit from Starfire and also get a hint what the Jukebox might be... yes, the title means something.

Some of the story line borrows heavily from the _New Teen Titans_ as well as the _Titans_ comics story line with plenty of creative license. I will comment and explain more after the end of the chapter and explain some other things like I always do (there's some science! Yay!).

Thank you for the positive response to this story and feel free to PM me to prod me along about updates! And REVIEW! Please!

.

Disclaimer: All of the DC Universe: Not mine – not now, not ever.

.

Jukebox concept: so mine

.

Additional Characters and details of the DC Universe mentioned in this chapter:

Blackfire – Komand'r (Tamaranean) – Empress and Sole Ruler of Tamaran and Older Sister of Starfire

Doria'n – (Tamaranean) – A General in Komand'r's Armies and her lover

.

**Jukebox**

.

**Chapter 4**

.

Standing at the bar, talking to Grace Choi, was an strange combination of familiar and foreign to Nightwing. The members of the Outsiders weren't close, they certainly weren't the Titans or even the Justice League, but there was a mutual respect between the two. Grace and Dick also knew enough about each other to feel somewhat vulnerable, to know that there would be honesty. Grace knew Nightwing with and without the mask and she had also seen him with and without Starfire.

The bar crowd had thinned out enough for Grace to have some time to really talk. Like much of the warmer parts of the Earth, an afternoon rest, similar to a siesta, was popular throughout a surprising amount of the galaxy. For the first time in his life, Dick Grayson craved such a nap. Could he be... depressed? Yeah, something like that.

"So you do admit there were problems between you and Kory before you left for Gotham?" Grace asked.

"Well, sure...," Nightwing dropped his head in defeat, "No, the problems were all me. My obsessions, my neuroses, my overcommitments. Reconfiguring the teams, trying to get the best out of everyone. She was always there, always supportive, but half the time I saw right past Kory."

"Wow, insight."

"Please don't be snarky," Dick said with a heavy sigh.

"Sorry, you are serious about this, aren't you? So tell me about your Bat-sing it for a bit. How was life in Daddy's shoes?"

Dick told Grace about putting on his mentor's cowl, his flirtations with Babs, the distance he put between himself and Kory. He told Grace in more general terms about the information Batman had shown him about Aliens. He skipped over the Metahuman part – he really didn't need to piss off the nearly 7 foot half-Amazon that was so kindly listening to his tale of woe.

"Gotta make the rounds, be back in a bit, but I take it it gets worse," Grace said as she made a motion to a reptilian looking creature that was unlike anything Dick had seen before. He didn't take too good of a look however; it seemed as though it might be easy to provoke.

"Oh, it gets worse, I assure you, it gets worse," Dick said, sounding again defeated, but quickly straightening his stance once he realized it. This was not the placed to telegraph weakness. He was only human, he had no powers, he was far away from home. Vulnerability was not in his best interest. He wanted to make it to Tamaran at the very least so he could apologize to Starfire.

TtTtTtTtTt

Starfire, or rather Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran as she is know on her home world, let out a heavy sigh. As Vega, Tamaran's sun began to set in the West, her work was finally over for the day. She had dismissed her advisers and handmaidens, not that she relied on either. And as for the guard, well, they reported daily as per protocol but she tended to dismiss them. They'd reappear of course, but eventually rid herself of them, even if it meant a random starbolt sent in there direction. Her person didn't need protecting; she'd proven that numerous times. Her heart, well her heart was another story, and there was no one who could protect that, and there was only one person who she wanted to care for it, and his actions had forced her back to the place of her birth.

At least there were no State Dinners that night, she thought with a great deal of relief, so she would be spared the endless hours being pursued by suitors that she had no interest in, forced to have a smile plastered on her face that served only so people would not question her happiness to be home. The food was enjoyable and certainly plentiful although she certainly missed mustard, but who'd have thought that in just a handful of years she would have grown disgusted by the table manners of her people?

Being on Tamaran was a series of trade-offs. There were many reasons to relish her down time, her freedom, an evening away from being leading, from being royalty and the ever-present court.

Of course being left alone with her thoughts, well, that wasn't much better.

TtTtTtTtTt

Starfire took flight as she often did at this hour. She couldn't help but remember _him_ and remember their little and not so little rituals, all the memories and how special each and every one was. Many of the happiest predated their romantic relationship, such as watching the sunset as they would from the roof of Titans Tower. The endless hours they would have for discussions nearly every evening, occasionally punctuated by a brush of a hand or a blush. There was a spark, there was potential, there was even love, but neither took that next step. It was such a simple time. It was when they were young and learning about life, thinking about things for the very first time, having revelations, sharing them, discussing them as close friends, no as _best _friends do.

Shouldn't that have gotten better when they became romantically involved? It actually did for quite awhile, but then layer after layer, it started to peel away, eroding so slowly that for a time, it wasn't even noticeable at all.

But soon it was noticeable, at least to her, but she forgave him so easily. They were soul mates after all, she was sure of it. On her world, they were, there was no question of that. But for humans, Earthlings, or is it just Americans – or just the male of the species for that matter? - such obvious things as the perfect and eternal match could be overlooked.

So they grew apart and worse, and it certainly didn't seem to bother Nightwing at all. Yes, it really started after he was Nightwing. A hero in his own right. He doffed the Robin costume of a boy, a teen to don the Nightwing costume to become a man. Ironically, when he stepped out of the Batman's shadow, he became more like him.

TtTtTtTtTt

Starfire loved her planet and took in the beauty of it all, at least what had not been decimated by her sister Blackfire, the Empress Komand'r, during the parts of her reign when she was not lost in her madness, reveling in her unrivaled power, laying ruin arbitrarily to her people and her planet.

Starfire's arrival on Tamaran had been no less then providential. She had no idea that her sister was even ill, much less had fallen through the depths of madness and even into despair. Blackfire was beginning to suffer the many physical effects of the final stages of the infestation of the _sqa'tir'i_ worm larvae from the swamp moons of Drenthax IV. Her advisers did what they could to protect her secret and get her appropriate medical attention, but rumors began as the commoners began to whisper about the seizures witnessed and the endless screaming that could even be heard through the thick palace walls all through the night.

So Koriand'r was there when her planet needed her most, when they needed a leader, when they needed a familiar face, a beloved member of the Royal Family and a heroine to her people to guide them through a difficult time. And for Starfire, if there was ever a time she needed to feel worthwhile, to feel useful, it was then.

So Starfire took over leadership in a relatively simple ceremony by Tamaranean standards and Blackfire went off-planet to begin the many weeks of medical and psychological treatment.

Koriand'r remained skeptical that Empress Komand'r's illness, for lack of a better term, was completely caused by the _sqa'tir'i_ worm larvae. There was no doubt that the worm had infested Komand'r's brain and remained there for most likely years and that it now was removed. If it was responsible for the Empress's actions, was she able to be fully cured and rehabilitated? Was the disease, the infestation of the worm, at the root of all the atrocities that Komand'r had spearheaded if not done by her own hand?

And it was also the inconsistent nature of Blackfire's rule, of her cruelty, then kindness that wore heavily on her people. The worm would lay dormant at times and Blackfire would show remorse and weakness. It was at those times that her fiance the great General Doria'n would push her back on course so that she would rule again with an iron fist. And he was so desperate to see her return to her vicious state that he would provoke her. In what turned out by its very nature to be his final act of provocation, he got her to take a life again after a time of weakness – and he did it by getting Blackfire to take his own.

But as much as Starfire was assured that the larvae was at the root of Blackfire's cruelty, as her little sister, she had a different opinion. Some of the acts had been so heinous that it was beyond what she could imagine her sister doing. X'Hal's own Priests and Healers, every medical, psychiatric and psychological expert as well as entomologist in the sector had been consulted. The opinions were unanimous that this was the cause of her instability and that there was a cure. Komand'r just needed time to rehabilitate and heal.

Although Koriand'r had the love of her people, they remained faithful to her sister. Could her people not see all that Blackfire had done? How could they forgive her? Then again, when you strip a people of their self worth and means for supporting themselves, they are easier to lead. So they embraced Kory, but they awaited their Empress's return from Okaara, where she had gone to heal her mind, body and spirit as well as to regain and sharpen her military and leadership acumen.

Starfire's time on Tamaran had been very productive once she helped them see that they could do for themselves again. She showed them that their newly acquired submissive behavior was not their nature, nor should it be, and they started to rebuild the infrastructure of Tamaran and their lives. Starfire still wanted to toy with Democracy or better yet a representative Republic that worked so well in the United States, not that it was all that unique to the US or Earth. She wasn't sure exactly how much time she had as the leader of Tamaran and her sister was recovering more every day. Perhaps her sister would go along with modifying the governing system upon her return, or even have a role for Starfire.

Or maybe, as Beast Boy would say, winged simians might exit out of her posterior.

TtTtTtTtTt

Near the palace, the sands and clay deserts were beautiful this time of day with the shadows and layers of orange, gold, red and rust. To her, it was the most lovely time there. The steppes and cliffs in the distance helped to demarcate what was the main civilized area, where there was the palace and the city, the marketplace and the schools. Although there were wide open spaces within the vast area, this was where the majority of the Tamaraneans lived and worked.

But over those areas of elevations, the areas to the South, was where her beloved lush riverside, the waterfalls, the fertile deltas, and the jungles once were. They were mostly destroyed, still dwindling away, now having faded to nearly nothing. If the land was in any way intact, it would have been the time of day that she would listen to the _gree'linhk_ bugs hum their songs to attract mates or the _rumfarang'lin,_the birdlike lizard would sing their sad songs as they took their evening flight back to the nesting grounds on the cliff face.

But just as Saddam Hussein had done to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Iraq in the mid-1990's to allow military access to Iran during the Iran-Iraq war, Blackfire had decided that this rivers should be dammed or diverted so that the armies should be given the land for factories and to strip the resources to build more ships and star cruisers to reinforce their forces, as well as train their forces there.

On Earth that area destroyed, the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers were known "the cradle of Earth's human civilization", these jungle lands were important to Tamaraneans, but at an earlier place in their historic time line. On Earth there is the "Out of Africa Theory", that hypothesizes that Archaic _Homo sapiens_ evolved into anatomically modern humans whilst still in Africa and then left to populate the rest of the world, it was from these lush lands where the protofelines evolved into the hominid biped modern Tamaraneans as they are today and left to populate all of Tamaran. It was not like the Amazon of Earth in that there was so many mysteries, so many species, so much diversity – it seemed so bleak was it truly all lost, Starfire wondered, or could ever recover. The Tigris-Euphrates Marsh was showing early signs of recover just over 15 years later. Would that even happen here?

TtTtTtTtTt

A metal knee joint hit Dick Grayson on the left gastrocs, or gastrocnemius muscles of his calf, and along with the metal hand clamped on his right shoulder, it gave a whole new meaning to one of his favorite phrases from his youth, "You're going down!". One minute he was standing at the bar awaiting Grace's return to discuss how he had nearly if not actually destroyed his relationship with Kory and the next minute well...

The result was a corkscrew spin to the floor, sprawling haplessly onto his back. Dick might be the most acrobatic hero in the Justice League, the Titans, the Outsiders, and all their affiliates, but there was no avoiding that fall.

He kipped, fluidly gaining his footing, ignoring the jeers of the patrons, fist at the ready, "Cyborg, what the he-"

He held his tongue and his fist as soon as he realized he had a sonic cannon within four inches of his nose.

"I have half a mind to strand your ass here," Cyborg said, not moving the cannon from the ready.

"What?"

"Here I am, taking your sorry, spiky-haired, not-appreciating-that-you-have-the-bestgirl-friend-in-the-universe self all the way out here and the first chance you get you're hitting on the bartender? At least you had the decency to turn down the Thanagarian earlier but I guess a man can just take so much temptation. The apple doesn't fall so far from the tree, does it baby-Bats?"

Dick gave him a shocked look. He dared not open his mouth. It wasn't like the sonic cannon had gone anywhere.

"Yes, _Dick_, I was walking by to find the little half-robots room and observed the interchange. Lucky for you that the T-ship wasn't ready to fly at the moment, 'cause if it had, I wouldn't have stayed, and I would definitely deserted your pathetic butt!"

Nightwing prided himself on only sweating during certain activities: working out, fighting of course, and well, in the bedroom. But at this point his palms and brows were sweaty. Actually, there were drops of sweat coming off his brow. Cyborg was serious. Dead serious. God help him if Kory was half as angry.

He had messed up, real bad. Not at the moment, his current activity was innocent at least. Thank God. But honestly, what was the chance she'd forgive him for everything from before anyway? Maybe it would be a preferable fate to get it over with and just be shot point blank by Cyborg's sonic cannon.

TtTtTtTtTt

Grace finished her sweep of the pentagon-shaped bar and re-stationed herself in front of Nightwing and his self-appointed personal disciplinarian, Cyborg.

"Why hello there handsome, what can I serve you?" she said in a purring voice quite unlike her nature sultry alto.

"Look lady, whatever your serving, I don't need," Cyborg replied, not taking his eyes off Nightwing.

It was at that moment that Nightwing filed away a memo in his mental Rolodex: Cyborg as intimidator: possible uses: Hostage situations? Territory disputes? Bouncer at the next Titan Network party? If he lived through this, he'd revisit the idea.

Grace spoke in her regular voice, "Man, Cyborg, I am insulted. It's like you come across tattooed Metahuman female former coworkers in deep space everyday. Or perhaps I didn't make a lasting impression."

Finally Cyborg tore his eyes away from Nightwing. Not that Nightwing moved a muscle.

"Grace? Grace Choi? What are you doing here?" Cyborg said, retracting his cannon and shaking her hand.

"I think it's obvious. I'm tending bar. Oh, and I'm letting Nightwing tell me how much he fu-, sorry, I'm listening to his difficulties he has recently had with his love life."

Nightwing and Cyborg replied simultaneously,

"No, I fucked up."

"He fucked up."

TtTtTtTtTt

After another couple of hours, with breaks for Grace to serve the other customers, Dick had poured his heart out. Even Vic felt bad. Mentally exhausted and physically as well, the two Titans made the decision to stay the night at the way station. Not that it wouldn't have been necessary anyway, the repairs were taking a great deal more time than anticipated and low and behold, it was costing more too.

Grace came off her shift and the three enjoyed some food and some more conversation. No matter where the conversation started, it always returned to one thing: Dick and Kory.

Dick lamented, "How can I tell her what she means to me? How can I help her remember the good times? If we could only revisit those moments, go back in time. Nothing has to change, there were plenty of perfect moments, if only we could relive a night or two."

"Oh, that's easy." Grace said smugly.

"Easy? How could that be easy? What, like, literally?" Cyborg countered.

"Of course," Grace replied, if possible, even more smug.

"Have you heard of physics or how time works?" Cyborg asked, a bit annoyed at her attitude.

Dick was no more gracious, "I'll humor you Grace. What the hell do you mean?"

"The Jukebox."

"The Jukebox?" Dick asked.

"The Jukebox can take you back to those special moments, hours, or sometimes even days. Not just to remember them, not just to see them, but to relive them."

"What? How is that possible?" Dick asked. He had seen a lot, but this? It had to be impossible.

"I don't understand the technology, Dick, but it works." Grace replied.

"Grace, it's an Urban Myth. The Jukebox doesn't exist," Cyborg scoffed.

Grace cocked a brow, "Oh really. Well, let me be the one to inform you that as you are aware, some Urban Myths are real. And the Jukebox is one such alleged 'Urban Myth'. I've seen it, I've used it, and I can take you to it."

TtTtTtTtTt

To Be Continued...

TtTtTtTtTt

Thank you for reading and please review!

TtTtTtTtTt

Let's see what was included here that people might no know:

Dick Grayson has lead the Teen Titans as Robin and Nightwing, and the Outsiders as Nightwing and the JLA as Batman

I made up the thing about the _sqa'tir'i_ worm larvae, although Drenthax IV was of course mentioned in the Teen Titans cartoon. However, depending on where the infestation would have been in the brain and with the vagueness of my description, it would not be that inconsistent with other such infestations. What a pleasant thought, worms in the brain.

Dorian was Blackfire's lover in the comics and did provoke her into killing him during a time that she had 'gone soft'. Not surprisingly, it was a turning point for her.

In the comics, Tamaran was lush jungleland. Blackfire did lay waste to some of it at one point in the comics. In the cartoon looks like the desert, so I compromised.

In 1994, Saddam Hussein, then leader of Iraq did order the essential destruction of the Tigris-Euphrates Rivers areas. In 2009, there was some evidence of the return of the salt-marshes unique to the area. However, multiple species of flora and fauna indigenous only to that area are thought to be extinct.

There have been a number of "Out of Africa" theories of the Evolution of Man, changing (or should I say evolving) even since I sat in my freshman physical anthropology classes. The current accepted theory is that archaic _Homo sapiens_ developed into anatomically modern humans (_H. sapiens sapiens_) and left Africa in that evolved state and out competed_ H. erectus_ and _H. Neanderthalensis_. An offshoot to this theory that some experts believe that some assimilation occurred: up to 4% of the current human population have Neanderthal DNA.

Protofeline – Based on the DC lore that Tamaraneans are evolved from cats, I am using the word protofeline or "first cat". (Proto = first + feline = cat).


	5. Chapter 5

Here is the next chapter of Jukebox. See, I can update more quickly!

Again, some of the story line borrows heavily from a few of the current and past DC Comic Titles, including _New Teen Titans,_ _Titans, Teen Titans, Teen Titans GO!, Justice League of America, The Outsiders_ _and R.E.B.E.L.S._ with plenty of creative license.

Although my storyline predates the current DC storyline for Dick and Kory, but the comments about not remaining on Earth borrows from the Justice League of America storyline from this past spring. Starfire left the Titans and joined the JLA and then realized that being there with Dick Grayson, now Batman, was too painful. She left him a note, (we have not been told what was in it) and flew to the Vega Star System. Richard was very sad. Kory joined the REBELS. They pine for each other a lot. And she keeps saying she can't be on the same planet with him while she still feels this way. Are the writers going to get them back together? Who knows.

This ended up shorter than I wanted but it was going to get really long if I included the next section – It's still 2,700 words or so of text and I will be updating regularly now.

Thank you for the continued positive response to this story and feel free to PM me to prod me along about updates!

.

Disclaimer: All of the DC Universe: Not mine and as the True Master would say: not now, not ever.

.

Jukebox concept: Mine

.

**Jukebox**

.

**Chapter 5**

.

"You've used the Jukebox, Grace?" Cyborg asked to verify. He didn't even try to hide his skepticism.

"Yes, I have, a number of times. And I'm not sharing what I relived. I'm rather... open, to put it mildly, but there are limits to even what I'm willing to talk about," a rare blush graced her cheeks as she smirked. "I'm so glad I got a chance to go relive some things and when I get the opportunity, I've got a whole list of things... well, I'm sure you understand."

"So it's a time machine?" Dick asked.

"Not exactly," Grace replied.

"What do you mean, not exactly? You go back in time to a certain point and are there again, right?" Cyborg said.

"I don't want to mess with history," Dick said, feeling his hope dashed. As much as he wanted Kory back, was he willing to change how things happened for his own sake, for hers? He'd have to change _a __lot _of things he had said and done, and they still might not end up together.

"You can't change anything that happened, Dick. You can't alter what you said or what you did, but you can go back there to relive it. On some levels, you are aware that you are back there, almost like the way you know during a dream that you are dreaming. And if you bring another person with you who was also there with you during the original experience, well, reliving it... it takes things up a notch if you know what I mean... There's a bit more than that, but we'll get into that later with the keepers of the machine," Grace informed him.

"What's the catch, then?" Cyborg asked.

"Well, there isn't a catch exactly. It's probably more of a 'be careful what you wish for'. Now I'm only a bartender-"

"And a hero," Dick reminded her with a kind smile in spite of how much he was hurting at the time.

"fine, I'm a bartender and a hero on hiatus, but I know a bit about people. Our mind plays tricks on us. We remember events in a way so that we can live with them. I have a feeling that Nightwing, our resident tall, dark and broody, wants to go back and see what he did wrong as well – am I right?"

"Yes, so I can see exactly how badly I treated Kory and make sure I apologize to her about everything."

"And because we all know you need to beat up yourself more," Grace replied with a roll of her eyes.

"You know man, Grace is right. Maybe relive the good times, convince Kory to relive them with you, but the bad times? Do you really want to go there?" Cyborg said to his team leader, this time being gentle when he put his metal hand on shoulder.

"But still, to make amends I should-"

"Let me cut you off there and let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's talk about the Jukebox, where it came from, how it's used, that kind of stuff. I have things to warn you about as well, so you're going to have to think long and hard about using it when the time comes. I'm talking from experience and what other humans have gotten from the experience, good and bad. The keepers are generally benevolent but like most other creature, they have an agenda of their own. So Cyborg, you said you heard of the Jukebox, do you know where the technology came from, and why it's called the Jukebox?"

"As I said," Cyborg replied, "I always heard it was an urban myth, that it was something some alien race had for it's elderly to give them an alternate reality or something like that when they were dying."

"Not quite, Cy," Grace said. "It was developed by the alien race, the _A'day'vin'marvs_ for their elderly. You see, they have particularly high intelligence and long lives, but their bodies give out on them 30-40 years prior to their death. They are fortunate in that they do not suffer from much dementia, but they certainly do suffer from boredom. So between proving complicated, I don't know, physics theorems or something or playing Oan bridge and Psion chess, they were restless and discontent. So the Jukebox was invented. It was called the Jukebox because generally the things that the beings wished to relive was something akin to reliving a dance or another memory tied to music."

"Because memories are ingrained using more than one sense, and who doesn't want to relive a romantic dance?" Dick said.

Cyborg gave him a lot, "Geez, that was positively girly, Dick!"

"Hey, I have to think more like Kory to win her back!"

"I guess that's one strategy."

"Look guys," Grace said, "It's getting late. Are you on a schedule or what?"

Cy looked over to Nightwing who was doing his characteristic rubbing on the back of his neck when he was embarrassed, "Well, the thing is Grace, Starfire has no idea we're coming, so if we need an extra couple of hours or even days here, it'll work."

"She doesn't know!" Grace said with a loud laugh, "Aw man, Nightwing, I hope this doesn't blow up in your face!"

Nightwing really hoped that it wouldn't either, but at that point, he was committed, and he was going to go to Tamaran and find her and beg and plead and do whatever it took. Hopefully he could bring her back to the station to use the Jukebox and show her how good they were together.

He didn't know that Starfire was now leading Tamaran and had a commitment there to her people. The news about her rule was kept quiet throughout the universe. The 2828 Sector, the Vega Star System and Tamaran liked its privacy anyway. Nightwing also figured that if he warned her about his visit, Starfire might just flee and he would lose his chance to talk with her. It was a very, very large universe after all.

It never occurred to him to wonder why she was really there and why she had stayed as long as she had. Or why she was not planning on returning to Earth for a long, long time.

TtTtTtTtTt

Starfire lit onto what used to be the drop off at the top of the Grand Tamaranean River's waterfall. It was spectacular in its height but not in breadth. Sadly at this point there was barely a trickle of water that only wet the cliff face that had once been carved out by the force of the water and served later to guide the gallons of water that flowed each second. Plants that sprung from spores, not dissimilar from moss and lichen of Earth but in iridescent oranges and blues rather than grays and greens were barely holding on to survival. They were likely to die out along with so much of the flora and fauna in the once lush jungleland.

_Earth has so many beautiful waterfalls, so diverse in size and setting. I could not believe the size of some of them, some were so loud, even deafening... why do I torture myself, missing waterfalls of all things? I miss my friends, my work as a hero. But I can't go back... Until things change drastically, I cannot reside on the same planet as Richard. It hurts my heart too much._

Earth. Those last few days... Could she truly have left under more pathetic circumstances?

Earlier in her life, from age 11 on, she had been beaten, humiliated, bound, caged and even raped by the wretched Gordanians, the Citadelians and others. Later to be experimented on by the Psions and worse, but her warrior spirit and royal grace were never completely gone.

And they weren't gone as she fled Earth – and Richard – but both the warrior and the princess were tucked so deeply inside that they could not be further harmed. Kal-El, Superman had once gotten a chance to warn Koriand'r about the Batman, that he would never trust her and that she could never trust him. However, they both agreed that the then Robin, her beloved Richard, was nothing like Bruce Wayne. That might have been the truth then, but things change and so do people – and sadly, and unexpectantly, Richard did change.

As for her time on Earth as a whole, Starfire felt like she personified that expression people have for the month of March: In like a Lion, out like a Lamb.

She came to Earth escaping the Gordanian ship, snarling and fighting and difficult to tame. She remained civilized but fierce as she fought along side the Teen Titans and other groups of Heroes for years.

And then, right after the original five were back working together in their tower and Nightwing returned as leader, things fell apart within days. She had no choice but to leave and leave quietly, sedately, and not even under her own and once mighty power.

An unhappy Tamaranean can literally die from a broken heart, although rarely, and if Nightwing continued as he had been since returning from Gotham, she knew for certain that her powers would be gone and that her death would soon follow. It wasn't dramatics: it was physiology. Nightwing was her lover, her soul mate. They had shared an unbelievable bond. It didn't matter that he chose to ignore it, it was still there. He had the power to support Starfire so that she could reach her full potential and even beyond and he also had the power to literally destroy her. They had never discussed it, but she knew he understood that to a certain degree, yet it seemed as if he didn't even care. What could hurt more than that?

TtTtTtTtTt

It was the morning after the combat practice when Nightwing had suspended Starfire from their missions. In a rare move, something that had only happened about five times over that many years, practice was held at noon rather than 7 AM because there had been three Titan alarms over the evening and into the night. It also was not mentioned but those missions took considerably longer because Starfire was not there.

The group was not as balanced without Starfire. Nightwing knew this and had two options: reinstate her or replace her. He actually was planning on reinstating her. That was until she didn't show for late practice.

Even with the five hour delay, the four Titans were weary when they arrived at the course. Nightwing looked a bit annoyed but actually gave Starfire the benefit of the doubt. He used the comm to call to see why she was late and Starfire's voice was weak.

He was professional, and perhaps a bit compassionate, "Starfire, we are waiting for you on the course."

"Now? I came to practice at 7 AM Rob-, I mean Nightwing, and no one came. After 20 minutes I returned to my quarters."

"Aren't you coming now?" Nightwing said more sharply than he intended.

"I cannot Nightwing. I feel quite the unwell," she replied in a small voice. The morning was very cloudy and she had not been able to capture any of the rejuvenating sun rays that she desperately needed, depleting her energy stores with the walk down to the course and back earlier.

"I can't accept any excuses Starfire." Nightwing said firmly.

"I am truly unable to ambulate."

"Then fly."

She gave a dark chuckle, "You are fully aware what fuels my flight Nightwing. Do you honestly think I would be capable of flight anytime soon considering how you-"

"What? You're saying this is my fault?" Nightwing asked incredulously.

"My inability to fly? You know it is. You have been aware of this since we were stranded on that planet together years ago."

Nightwing let out an exacerbated sigh, "Listen Starfire, you are excused just this once and I will follow up with you later and have Raven check on you after practice. Nightwing out."

Nightwing turned to his teammates, "Alright guys, I was first up yesterday, Cyborg, you're up first today."

His teammates exchanged looks but no one said a thing and practice began.

TtTtTtTtTt

Nightwing did not follow up with Starfire but Raven did. Raven knocked on her door and heard no reply. She sensed Starfire's weakened state and phased through and was shocked to find Starfire in bed. The day had remained dreary and even with the curtains open, there was no discernible shadows and presumably no usable sunlight for Starfire to restore her energy.

At close inspection, Starfire's skin was nearly the color of Raven's. The honey gold tone was replaced by the dusky ashen gray that seemed so inconsistent with any color that a living Tamaranean's skin could ever be.

Starfire was so weak that her hand was trembling as she tried to move it. Her eyes were dry as were her lips, white crusts having formed around the openings that gave way as Starfire opened her eyes and then spoke to Raven, "Please tell no one, especially Robin, of my state Raven. I cannot stay on this planet any longer or I will die. Can you help me? Please Raven."

Raven took her hand, shocked that it was no more than room temperature, "Starfire, you are in no condition to travel anywhere, let alone leave the planet. Perhaps we can get you to the Watch Tower, to Dr. MidNite-"

"No. No one can know, especially the JLA, especially the Batman. In that case, death is preferable. Raven, with your help I will be able to leave in a few days. Perhaps we need only two."

"Starfire-"

"Please, I will die... or worse. Interplanetary travel does not impose the stresses that flight does within an atmosphere, and Tamaran is only 26 lightyears away. I have to leave soon however. We must prepare."

Raven let out a heavy sigh. She knew if she told Nightwing, he'd either be an idiot and make things worse or try to make things better and be an idiot again in the near future. If she enlisted help from Cyborg he'd kill Nightwing first and ask questions later. If he told Beast Boy, well – that wasn't going to happen, so that wasn't even worth thinking about.

"Starfire, tell me exactly what we need to do."

TtTtTtTtTt

To Be Continued...

TtTtTtTtTt

Thank you for reading and please review!

I will update soon.

TtTtTtTtTt

The Vega Star System is in sector 2828 for The Green Lanterns (not that they are all that welcome there.)

I made up the name but can anyone guess where the alien race the _A'day'vin'marvs _got their name? If you read me there's been hints.

LJ


	6. Chapter 6

Here is the next chapter of Jukebox. See, I can update more quickly!

Again, some small parts of the story line and of course the characters and characterizations come from a few of the current and past DC Comic Titles, including _New Teen Titans,_ _Titans, Teen Titans, Teen Titans GO!, Justice League of America, The Outsiders_ _and R.E.B.E.L.S._ with plenty of creative license. Maybe _Tiny Titans_ will offer some ideas for plot points in the future.

Although my storyline predates the current DC storyline for Dick and Kory, but the comments about not remaining on Earth borrows from the Justice League of America storyline from this past spring. Starfire left the Titans and joined the JLA and then realized that being there with Dick, now Batman, was too painful. She left him a note, (we have not been told what was in it) and flew to the Vega Star System. Dick was very sad after reading it – at least that was what Donna said – he was all Batmany so who could tell when he wears the cowl. Once in the Vega Star System, (Tamaran had been destroyed years before) Kory joined the REBELS and reunited with close friends Adam Strange and his wife.

Still, Dick and Kory seem to pine for each other a lot. And she keeps saying she can't be on the same planet with him while she still feels this way. Are the writers going to get them back together? Who knows...

Thank you for the continued positive response to this story and feel free to PM me to prod me along about updates!

.

Disclaimer: All of the DC Universe: Not mine and as the True Master would say: not now, not ever.

.

Jukebox concept: so mine

.

Terms used in the chapter that may be unfamiliar:

Layers of the atmosphere: Mesosphere: 30-50 miles above the Earth's surface; Thermosphere: 50-400 miles above the Earth's surface

DC History:

In _Teen Titans Go!_ Comics Issue #46, Starfire's history is given and it tells the story that parents died of broken hearts. In the Teen Titans comics, they died when New Tamaran was destroyed by the Sun Eater (after Tamaran was destroyed - poor Starfire has been through quite a bit, hasn't she?)

.

**Jukebox**

.

**Chapter 6**

.

Nightwing, Cyborg and Grace parted company the 'evening'. It was hard to keep a day/night schedule on the way station. Seeing that the station was in space and having travelers from all over used to all different lengths of day, there had to be a compromise. Not different from Earth, where the 'compromise' language in aviation is American English, in space travel where at least there are ear piece universal translators so the need to foist American English on everyone is less necessary, it is somewhat expected nonetheless. This attitude is in time keeping as well, and again it is Earth-centric thinking that reigns: on space station or in space travel, the standard 'day' is Earth's 24 hours, an hour is 60 minutes, and so forth, where there cannot be one given by the rotation of a heavenly body, be it a planet or a moon.

To emphasize the supposed time of day, the hall lights dim, and workers come off shift as the 'evening' progresses into 'nighttime'. The bar that Grace works in does close for a few hours, 2AM – 8AM, but it would start serving its barely alcoholic brew along with breakfast upon its reopening, and she was back to work the early shift. The group broke up their impromptu reunion and Nightwing commiseratory pep talk at about 10 PM. Grace headed to her quarters on the other side of the station where the other residents were housed hoping to catch her partner Anissa still awake at that hour back on Earth. Hopefully she wasn't out answering an alarm with her fellow Outsiders.

The space version of the T-ship that they had taken for the trip out was smaller than for some of their missions when they had the full crew of five or more Titans. Cyborg and Nightwing had plenty of supplies for the long trip of course. There were Captain's Quarters but these were currently being used as a storeroom but could be used with some reconfiguration and the exhaustion of supplies from the trip out. Dick was hoping against hope that if needed or rather, desired, that the Captain's Quarter's would be used on the long trip home by he and Kory. As for now, things weren't too cramped even with all of Vic's recharge equipment and reclining sleep chair in the main sleeping quarters that he and Dick decided to share with a partial divider.

Dick and Vic were each settling in to their respective sleeping places. Vic had a Popular Mechanics magazine, and Dick had a report on the Titans actual versus projected budget from the last quarter, reviewing any cost cutting, adjusting for unexpected cost increases.

"Are you sure you want to use this Jukebox thing?" Vic asked his longtime friend to break the silence.

"Why not?" Dick answered in surprise and it was more than the sudden question which caught him off guard him.

"What if you don't like what you see? What if you decide after all this things won't work out with Kory?"

Dick felt like he was kicked in the gut, of all the people to challenge him, to play devil's advocate, he never expected Vic to. "What are you talking about? Of course things will work out with Kory, Vic!" Dick angrily growled out. If the line of questioning continued, Dick was already tensed up and ready to spring out of bed to physically confront him.

"All right man, calm down. That was a bit of a test. She's my sister, man. It was hard enough watching what was going down between you two. I just wanted to be sure."

"You jerk!" Dick responded still angry, and then his tone softened, "For the hundredth time, I love her, I was an idiot, I was horrible to her and I have to try to get her back. I may not deserve her but I have to try to convince her to give me another chance. I just wish I stopped her before she left."

"Honestly Dick, I bet it was better this way. Kory's had some time away, and hopefully she's gained perspective, looked back at the entire relationship as a whole, the good and the bad. You had a chance to redeem yourself some before you left, right? You got a chance to really break that pattern of pushing her away, of being in Bruce's mindset."

"I did much more than push her away," Nightwing sad sadly, "but you're right. In fact, think you have a future in family therapy."

"Nah, just doing what I always did. Just being a big brother."

TtTtTtTtTt

Weeks Earlier...

Raven was still in shock over Nightwing's behavior since he returned to Titans Tower. It was almost that he was somehow partially brainwashed or at least indoctrinated by the most paranoid aspects of Batman during his time away. She knew he was lying about being off planet and was trying to respect his privacy but it was difficult. Watching him do the damage he was doing to Starfire, even while he still felt the love that he had for her was the kind of cognitive dissonance that usually gave Raven a migraine. It was one of the rare times that being with Starfire was actually emotionally quieter than being with Nightwing. Sure there was a lot going on in Starfire's mind, but she was a woman that at the moment that was gaining strengh toward a single goal, a woman of conviction.

As for Starfire, she was still in her bed, painfully pale, almost becoming luminescent, becoming only weaker as time past. Tamaranean physiology didn't benefit from rest necessarily but she did not have the energy to do anything but. She was attempting to summon her strength, concentrating on her plan, carefully calculating the amount of energy needed for her faster than the speed of light travel. The flight to Tamaran was 26 light years, so her calculations had to be correct. For all the perceptions by others that she was ditzy due to her naivete, these calculations were easily accomplished in Starfire's head without a calculator or pencil and paper. After she had the solutions for her equations, she could move ahead with knowing exactly what her body needed to prepare for the journey.

"Raven, there are many things to do, but the first and most important thing for me to do is to gather as much solar energy as possible," Starfire said.

Raven was worried about Starfire's coloring that day after she hadn't made it to combat practice but as she balanced herself further, attuning herself with Starfire, there was so much more to be concerned over. As she was finally being bombarded by the emotions as she usually was by her Tamaranean friend, there was as marked loss of the will to live. Raven's breath stopped as a chill ran through her body.

Raven tried to shake off the feeling and failed. She then looked at her teammate with compassion, "Starfire, I apologize. I assumed that you were misusing an expression. You literally will die if things do not change, won't you? It's not that you have nearly lost all of your will to live, it is almost as if your physiologically unable to."

"Yes, and it is how my parents perished. That trait is unfortunately particularly pronounced in my family but it is perhaps balanced with other, more positive ones," she added ruefully.

Raven gave Starfire a reassuring smile, "We'll get you through this, we won't let this happen." She paused for a bit, "Does Rob-, I mean Nightwing have any idea about the how this or how he is, or rather could, affect you? I can't image he wouldn't be here if he knew."

Star shook her head, "Dying of the broken heart as it is probably best translated to the English? No, Richard is unaware. I did need to remind him earlier of his ability to take away my joy, and to therefore take away my power of flight."

"Starfire, I'm sorry about that."

"We shall not dwell on it. But that is one reason that I need your help, my friend."

"Where do we start?"

"I will need your help with your powers to first assist me to levitate me to help me get the sunlight here in the room to get some solar energy and then into the Mesosphere or even the Thermosphere if you can bring we up that high. That is, if it is safe for you considering the levels of radiation. It will be necessary to expedite the complete recharge of my energy. I will have the opportunity to recharge during my travel to Tamaran at some other stars but I must fully recharge prior to flight."

Starfire continued, "I then will need you to help me with some meditation to draw on joyous memories. The flight to Tamaran is long. Space flight is easier for there is no gravity or drag, but I must still draw on joy to feel of flight."

"We'll get you ready to go Starfire, I promise," Raven assured her.

"I imagine we will need the cover story," Starfire pointed out.

Both girls stopped to think for a moment.

Starfire's face brightened, "I know what we will tell the others: I must be quarantined for the Irinean Measles. We will say that you must be my caregiver during the first stage of the virus that I am very ill."

"But Starfire, Irinean Measles aren't that severe-"

"The others will not know that-"

"But Cyborg might or will look it up," Raven pointed out.

"Perhaps, but we will talk to him or perhaps you can put a spell on him." Starfire paused, "However, if we tell him the truth, I believe he will do the 'bringing of the pain' to my dearest Richard."

Raven's cocked eyebrow caused Starfire to pause momentarily, "Good point." She didn't need to point out to Starfire that she still referred to Nightwing that way.

"Oh Raven, we will figure it out," Starfire implored. "I will also need your assistance with a spell to help with the lying if we are further questioned. But please Raven, it is a good cover story and as on Earth it is said, 'it is our story and we are doing the sticking to it!'"

"Very well Starfire, I'll let the others know we both need to be off missions for the next 48-72 hours."

Right then there was a knock on the door and both young women whipped their heads toward it.

"Starfire, it's me, can I come in?" Nightwing said with concern in his voice.

Raven got up and quickly phased through the door, "Nightwing, Starfire is really not doing well right now." Raven was somewhat relieved that Nightwing looked as upset as he was.

"I know Raven, and I'm so sorry I didn't get up here until now."

He paused to rub his face and then looked up at Raven. It wasn't that it hadn't occurred to him that he needed to get up there to talk to Starfire. He just knew how badly he had screwed up things between them and he knew words weren't going to be enough. He finally decided to stop putting it off: they were at least a start.

"Raven, please, I need to talk to her," he pleaded.

"Nightwing, I was about to call," Raven said evenly, "I'm not sure that Starfire is even up for that. She really is quite ill."

"Why didn't you alert us as soon as you got here?" His voice was full of alarm, "Let's get her to medical bay immediately."

Raven placed her hand firmly on Nightwing's forearm, "I've spoken to her, Nightwing. She wants to stay her in her room with me. She doesn't want to be seen by the others."

"Even me, Raven?" he asked with sadness in his voice.

"I'm sorry, it's her choice, she wants her privacy. She doesn't look well, she's very pale," she said to her leader with compassion.

"Raven-"

"Understand, it's up to her, Nightwing. Remember how she hid from us during the prodromal symptoms of her transformation? She ran away, Dick. She left the planet. Now she can't really even stand and she hates when she is perceived as weak."

"I love her. That doesn't matter to me-"

"But it matters to Starfire. I am also concerned that she is contagious."

"I don't care if she's contagious."

"Nightwing, be reasonable. Let's make sure we know what's going on."

He let out a defeated sigh. Raven was surprised he backed down so easily but the truth was that he was determined not to argue with Starfire over anything.

"If that's what you and Starfire think's best, Raven, take all the time you both think she needs. You're off missions as well. Please tell me if she changes her mind about letting me see her. Day or night. Hell, call me in the middle of the mission. I'm here for her no matter what."

Raven gave him a smile, "I'll remember that." Raven phased back through the door.

Nightwing raised his voice, "Starfire, it's me, Dick, can I at least talk to you through the door?" He paused briefly when he heard nothing, "Sweetheart, please?"

Nightwing could finally hear Starfire through the door, "Raven, it will be the okay. Could you assist me to the door? I wish to speak to Richard."

His heart leapt at being called by his birth name and not his hero name. He could here a grunt of effort and the familiar squeak of her mattress springs as she got out of her round bed.

After assisting her the fifteen or so feet from the bed to the door, Raven pulled a chair over for Starfire to sit in while she spoke with Nightwing.

"Yes, Richard, I am here now," she said weakly, a bit out a breath even after such a mild exertion.

Richard rose his eyes upward in thanks and then closed them, taking a deep breath. His voice was heartbreakingly sincere, "Kory, I'm sorry it took me so long to get up here to see you today. You can't know just how sorry I am for how I've acted toward you since I left for Gotham." He hadn't told Raven and wasn't sure if she was listening, but figured she might have known anyway, and anyway, he could have cared less at this point if she didn't, "and my behavior toward you has been unforgivable since I've returned. I don't expect your forgiveness, but please know that I am so, so sorry and that I'm aware of what I've done and I'll do anything to make it up to you. I'm hoping for now though, while you aren't feeling well, that I can at least visit you even if it's through the door. Tha is, until you are better and come back onto the team again."

Kory covered her mouth and didn't hold back her tears and looked over to Raven.

"Of course, Richard."

"I love you, Kory" Those words were certainly said in private, but not in front of witnesses.

"I love you as well, my beloved Richard."

"Do you need to rest now or are you up to talking more, Sweetheart?"

"I do need to rest but I do wish to do the thanking of you for the words you said earlier. It meant a great deal to hear them."

"They are only words Kory, you deserve so much more. For now just rest and feel better. Remember I love you, and I'll be back in a few hours to talk through the door again. And please feel free to call if you want me to come by, any time, day or night. All right m'love"

Starfire giggled, "I will remember all that, and yes it would be nice to receive another visit. It would be very nice."

"I will talk to you later then."

"Good-bye."

"Bye."

Starfire turned to Raven who eyed her carefully, unsure what the plans would now be. Raven couldn't help but sense some return of joy to Starfire and some sense of relief in her as well. Starfire turned her attention back to the door and paused and listened, then stood up to look out the peephole to be sure that Nightwing was gone.

She certainly surprised Raven when Starfire said, "Shall we now begin the preparations for my trip to Tamaran, Raven? I think that I can extract some joyous feelings from Richards words to assist with some flight, but without the solar recharging, I barely have the energy to stand. Can we levitate me by the window before the angle of the Sun's rays make it difficult for any absorption today?"

"Of course, Starfire."

TtTtTtTtTt

To Be Continued...

TtTtTtTtTt

Ha! You thought Starfire would cave, didn't you? Our girl is stronger than she looks!

Also, Nightwing had to start coming to his senses before she left; otherwise, why the heck would they even have a chance – she'd be a total doormat to take him back after he was being such a tool without even apologizing at all before she left.

The next chapter is at least 1/2 written and hopefully will be up within the week.

Please review! People haven't been and it's hard on me. The hits are great still but not the reviews, but that seems pretty universal with all the authors. I'm going through an especially tough time with some hard core weekly medical treatment and reviews take the nausea and vomiting that the Methotrexate gives me away! (Seriously, it does!)

LJ


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you for the continued positive response to this story and feel free to PM me to prod me along about updates!

.

Disclaimer: All of the DC Universe: Not mine and as the True Master would say: not now, not ever.

Jukebox concept: so mine

.

Additional Characters and details of the DC Universe and the world mentioned in this chapter:

Phyz'zon (Tamaranean) – For the purpose of this story, a General in Komand'r's (Blackfire's) Armies and his allegiance is to Blackfire although he remains an adviser to Starfire. He wishes to pursue Starfire romantically after she saves his life. (In the comics Starfire did save his life, they were married for diplomatic reasons [her second marriage; her first husband Karras, also a diplomatic marriage, also ended with the death of her husband], and she did become pregnant. Phyz'zon was also experimented on by the Psions and could bilocate or duplicate himself. After he died and Starfire returned to Earth, nothing was ever mentioned about the pregnancy again.)

The Green Lanterns are basically uninvolved with the Vega system, even though Oa is there, where the Guardians of the Universe and the keepers of the Rings of the Green Lanterns are.

Another fun fact, the star Vega exists. It is 25.3 LY (light years) away (it is rounded up by DC to 26 LY). It does appear to have planets, but not perhaps the 25 mentioned in the DC comics (less the 3 that X'Hal, the living goddess of the Vega system, worshiped by the Tamaraneans destroyed). Vega is heavily reference in Science Fiction lure, including the first episode of Star Trek.

The force of Earth gravity at the surface is 9.8 m/s2. Different planets due to their different masses would have different gravitational pulls and forces. I'd assume that like everything else seems to be, that what would used universally would be what is on Earth.

Cloister: Two definitions that may be intersecting: A place of seclusion; and/or a rectangular open space, often surrounded with walkways and high arched walls, and attached to a building, possibly a church or dormitory. Not to be confused with cloistered, which means cut off, as in a monastary where the monks are cut off from the outside world. Although a cloistered community will have a cloister to provide an area to reflect in. As I see it in my story, Kory is reflecting privately within an outside area where she can be in the sun next to the palace but be essentially alone, yet safe.

**.**

**Jukebox**

.

**Chapter 7**

.

"Four-fifty-one, four-fifty-two, four-fifty-three, four-fifty-four..."

"Ah man, Dick, can't you do that somewhere else, it's 7:08 in the morning!" Vic grumbled.

"No," Dick grunted, "Four-fifty-five..."

"Count in your head then!"

Dick push up into a squat and then into a lotus position. "I did that for my situps."

"Why not for your push ups?" Vic paused. "Then again, why am I asking? And why are you working out so hard?"

Nightwing shrugged, "Not sure about the gravity on the station here or on the T-ship, don't want to lose any muscle or bone." He took a long sip from his water bottle.

Vic rolled his eyes. "Sure, that'll happen." He checked his monitors on his arm. "You're fine here, Dick... actually the pressure is 9.97 m/s2, so you should even feel less light in the loafers than usual."

"Very funny, Vic."

"The truth is, you don't have to work as hard, the extra gravitation pull means more resistance-"

"I get it, but it won't stop me from pushing myself."

"Wanna look nice for your _girlfriend_?" Vic teased. After all these years, he was still seeing if he could get a rise out of Dick for that one.

"Yes," Dick smirked.

"Yeah, like sexual attraction was ever a problem for you two," Vic pretended to mutter to himself, and then chuckled, "As for me, better hook up." Vic and Dick laughed at the segue. His type of hooking up at the moment was to his recharge machine although he had left the lovely Sara Simms at home who he had the honor to have been hooking up with quite regularly. Vic smiled and fiddled with on his I-pod.

Nightwing shook his head. He had thanked Vic many times for the sacrifice he was making for leaving Earth; so many times in fact Dick was told to 'stuff it' and other more colorful ways to convey the same thought.

And as for Dick's attraction to Starfire, yes, that had never, ever been a problem for Nightwing. From the moment her landed on Earth he was taken with her, even though he thought at that point she was a threat. A threat in handcuffs but even so, a huge, huge threat.

Dick had never been attracted to anyone the way he was to her, nor had he ever been attracted to anyone that way since. And maybe that was what bothered Batman so much. Batman never understood how humans could feel that way about Aliens. Hell, Bruce Wayne didn't even refer to Kory as Starfire or Koriand'r or Dick's teammate or girlfriend: she was 'the Alien'. A nice thing to call your son's girlfriend. Oh, and to a person who was a hero and fought to save the world, that is_ your _world, who even fought occasionally by your side.

But Dick never saw that Tamaranean first, she just saw Kory. Being different was for him just an extra, something that made her more special, what made her even more 'out of this world'.

That gave Richard even the more reason to hate himself once he came to his senses after returning from Gotham. He let Bruce affect him, and affect _them_: both Nightwing and Starfire and Dick and Kory. On the field and off. She was the best thing that ever happened to him, one of the very few things that ever made him happy anymore... and then he treated her poorly, threw her aside and with little thought. Kicked her off his team and out of his heart.

"Hey, broody-pants, are you gonna just sit there and just stink or what?" Vic said, breaking Dick out of his reverie.

Dick shook his head to clear it although the dread he felt and disgust at himself never truly left him for a single waking moment since those days after his return from Gotham. That is, once he finally came to his senses, "All right, just a couple more minutes and then I'll hit the showers. Then I guess it's breakfast over at the bar and we'll find out how we'll meet up with these Jukebox keepers or whoever operates this thing and see what I'm in for."

"Sounds like a plan."

A couple more minutes was about 15 minutes of non-stop gymnastics floor work, mostly comprising of pommel horse moves on the floor, doing circle work and scissors while repositioning his hands and spinning, swinging his hips up into flares with his legs up and finally above his head. Then he'd walk on his hands all around the ship and do handstand push ups, mixing in all kind of moves that would make Beast Boy monkey jealous.

"Dick, you are such a showoff - save it for the ladies!"

"Just want to keep in shape for-"

"I know, I know..." Vic said, "but she won't go near you if you don't shower."

"We aren't getting there today, Vic."

"Well, to be honest Dick, your level of hygiene has kinda slipped since Kory left."

What Vic said had been true, but that didn't mean that Vic didn't deserve Dick throwing his sweating towel at his head just out of general principle.

"Hey, I'm hooked up here! Get this disgusting thing off of me, or, as I've threatened before, I'll leave your spiky haired ass stranded out here."

And with that Nightwing retrieved his towel and soon was back with a cup of coffee just the way Cyborg liked it.

TtTtTtTtTt

"Good morning Princess Koriand'r," General Phyz'zon said, dropping to one knee as he bowed before her.

She mentally rolled her eyes. She would hardly have asked him not to bow to her, but still there was such an 'ick' factor to it all. She then almost giggled to herself. How many of the little expressions and mannerisms from Earth had she picked up through the years? Would they stay with her if she stayed there on Tamaran? On Earth, for one thing, she had been allowed to be a teenager from time to time, even if she was a hero, even if Raven was her closest female companion. Thank Heaven for those girl-a-ramas, those get togethers with Bumble Bee and some of the other Titan heroines.

But then there was Phyz'zon himself that brought out those type of reactions.

_'You save a guy's life one time...'_, she remembered Argent saying once after a mission, when a fanboy would not leave her alone after she had simply used her powers to hold back a wall of a building from collapsing onto him so he could escape during the aftershocks of a large earthquake. It wasn't even like she had hoisted him out of there, she had also said. It wasn't like he was being hunted by a supervillain. It was a natural disaster that would have been normally handled by a first responder. Well, maybe not the holding the building up part. Argent just was there, and was doing her job as far as she was concerned.

Now Starfire understood completely what Argent meant. But at the time she saved Phyz'zon her choice was clear: Phyz'zon was a top general, an asset to Tamaran. Starfire had done the calculation and had a better than even chance of rescuing him out of his ship that he had refused to abandon along with the rest of his crew when they were jettisoned. The ship was no longer in a trajectory that would crash into a populated area. So she saved him and as Jinx would say, it was the 'no big'. Well he apparently thought it was the 'big'. And due to that, well, he was first to arrive every morning in her throne room unless he was on a mission.

Why, oh why weren't there more missions?

"Good morning, General Phyz'zon."

It wasn't that there couldn't be a level of kinship. He had also been captured by the Psions and experimented upon, which allowed him some ability to bilocate, or be at more than one place at once. Which Starfire found even more disturbing considering that she strongly suspected that he was currying her favor politically and romantically, as he clearly had her sister's before her. Would he try it with both of them in the future when Blackfire got better? Even simultaneously? _Ew_.

He had been one of Blackfire's advisers and she had no problem with that, nor that they had probably been lovers. Phyz'zon could continue to advise Starfire, but his persistence in pursuing her romantically was wearing thin. Yes, there was most definitely an ick factor with all this.

He needed to get the hint. Or perhaps the clue.

"Perhaps if the afternoon sessions do not run to late we can take a walk later and dine, or even take a flight at moonrise," he suggested to her in a way that she found to be more befitting an eager ensign her age and not a war worn general nearly twenty years her senior. "I have yet to find a way to express my feelings about you risking your life to ensure my survival during that unfortunate event with my star ship."

_Not for lack of the trying over these past 63 days, but who is doing the counting? And to now open the daily debriefing with such a suggestion, this must stop! _

"It is a kind offer, Phyz'zon," Koriand'r began, thankful for her comfort in her own skin. Not too long ago such an offer would have left her blushing and twisting her fingers in her lap. But having grown up a bit and having had a mature relationship will often provide one with at least some confidence no matter how it ended. Oh yeah, and ruling a planet helped as well. "However, I am unable to join you at this time." Perhaps she needed a little more time to work on a stronger and more direct approach.

"Your heart belongs to another." Phyz'zon said with compassion. He did not sound at all defeated, as if only offering to clarify and perhaps offer assistance.

She suppressed the gasp that would have been the reaction to those words on Earth. She figured he would be aware, it would be obvious to another Tamaranean, but he never said it before.

"On Earth, such a statement would be considered presumptuous and quite rude."

"But you are no longer on Earth, Princess."

_That is certain, and as Super Boy would say, 'I'm afraid we aren't in Kansas anymore'. I was so pleased that I had seem that _Wizard of the Oz_ movie and had gotten a reference of Earth popular culture without having Richard explain it to me. He was so proud of me too and the celebration over it was most, friendly... no, that is not the right word... oh, wait, I was talking to Phyz'zon..._

"No, I am not General, I am well aware that I am on Tamaran and I am ruler of this planet, and you not to speak to me so plainly."

"My apologizes Princess. Please forgive me."

He dropped to his knee and bowed again. He was really pulling out the stops. Not that Starfire was fooled.

Starfire smiled and allowed her face to soften. "You may rise, General." There was no reason to mask her emotions. Phyz'zon was correct, she wasn't on Earth. "Very well. Are there any military matters that happened overnight that we need to discuss?"

"There was a report from Okaara, Princess. Unofficial of course, but credible I assure you."

Koriand'r cocked an eyebrow. He would deny it, and being a Tamaranean he was a poor liar, but these unofficial reports were likely from Komand'r. _Not a great way to score points, General._

"Of course, continue."

"Komand'r is improving."

"Then it is time that we ask for another official report on her progress," she stated firmly, looking at him dead in the eye to see any reaction.

He paused for a moment and then said, "Shall I handle it, Princess?"

Again, Koriand'r was surprised. He was far too bold, that offer was out of line. "I shall handle the communique myself, and I will call my advisers and ministers for a meeting at Moonset."

"Moonset?"

Starfire's eyes flashed green. "General Phyz'zon, why do you question me this morning?"

"My apologizes Princess."

"I did not ask for your apologies, I asked why you are questioning me. It is unlike you to be insubordinate."

"I wish to assist you. If we convened sooner in the day perhaps..."

"I grow impatient with you. I will have the advisers and ministers contacted for a meeting at Moonset. I do not need to remind you that due to the difference in the time of day in our two worlds, that it would be morning in Okaara at Moonset here, do I? Therefore, any decision we make about our contact with the Okaarans and Queen Komand'r would only have to be delayed until later anyway.

"You are absolutely correct, Princess Koriand'r. It apparently slipped my mind."

Starfire kept her face impassive, "I find that most difficult to believe, General. You have navigated the Vega system and knew the comparative time and relative time zoning since before I first was able to feel flight. I must inform you that if you intend to carry out some sort of deception that you shall fail. I am not simply Queen Komand'r's little sister any more."

"A deception! No, I implore you, no!" Phyz'zon dropped to his left knee and took her hand and kissed the ruby jewel embellished with gold scarabs encircling it on each of her braces, "I only wished to spend the Moonset with you this evening Princess. It has been 63 days, three turns of the moons since you saved me, and I wanted to mark this special day by being together!"

His persistence momentarily threw her, "But I have declined your invitation only minutes ago."

"Princess Koriand'r I need to tell you that I love you and that I wish to marry you."

Kory was surprised about her composure. Then again, she almost got married to a green bag of goo on this planet a few years back. _Although this would be an improvement... or is that might be?_

"General Phyz'zon, I do not love you. I do not wish to marry you."

"Princess, please consider my proposal. We could lead Tamaran into a new age, into a better future."

She paused. He certainly was persistent. Why? Wasn't he one of Komand'r's supporters? "General, my answer is no. I am honored by your offer, and you will remain as my adviser but I cannot be your wife. And as for Tamaran and my rule, did you not say earlier that Komand'r was improving? Perhaps she is ready to return."

"Princess, you can learn to love me, and I would be most honored to serve at your princess' pleasure. As for your sister, is Queen Komand'r best for Tamaran?"

Starfire considered this as Phyz'zon echoed her own words, words she had said as a 16-year-old, "I believe that is to be discussed this evening and again when we can get more information from Okaara. You are dismissed General. I shall be in the Royal Cloister for the remainder of the day."

He opened his mouth for just a moment in protest and Starfire's eyes flashed green so he backed down, bowing again, "I will see you this evening my Princess at Moonset. Please send for me if there was anything that I can do for you in the meantime."

TtTtTtTtTt

After showering and changing, Dick waiting for Vic outside the T-ship, looking out the window of the hanger. Now much closer, Vega was easily visible without a telescope. What would be there to greet him at their arrival? He thought back to the atrocities Blackfire had committed that he had read about in Bruce's files back in Gotham. Guilt washed over him. He thought he was protecting Starfire but was he? Not telling her about Blackfire, he was just underestimating her again. Wouldn't that knowledge have been helpful if Kory needed to face off with her sister again? Did she just walk into the lion's den? Did Kory need him and he let her down? He had been telling himself that it wasn't his fault, that he hadn't thought she'd ever leave for Tamaran without telling him, but then again, he forced her into it.

Bruce's files weren't up to date and it was also unclear with what was going on with the leadership in Tamaran. Galfore had been injured when Blackfire had again resumed the throne, but Galfore had a great deal of support and was not mortally wounded. Was Kory with him, perhaps organizing a resistance? Was Kory on Okaara, where she had also mentioned that she might go?

Again, Dick slumped his shoulders, nothing could make up for everything he had done wrong.

Vic came behind him, feeling sorry for his leader and friend, but that didn't stop him from the comment, "Dick, we'll find her. It'll work out, but you gotta get over yourself. You've gone from Mr. Broody-pants to Mr. Broody-guilty-worthless-pants haven't you?"

"That's Captain Broody-guilty-worthless-pants to you, Cy," he deadpanned and Vic laughed.

Dick eyed him and the corner of his mouth twitched up ever so slightly, "Just go." and the two headed toward the bar to eat breakfast and meet up with Grace.

TtTtTtTtTt

For once, Princess Koriand'r felt comfort having her security detail. She kept them at bay, asking them to give her a wide berth. Anything too different from her routine would raise suspicions. She chose to sit on a spot on bench made of the orange veined _dort'mar_ stone. She loved the feel of it as she ran her hand over its smooth surface, perfectly cut to befit the Royal Cloister. The stone was quite similar to marble in both texture and its ability to remain cool in the bright sunlight of Vega at what was then four hours past the rise of their star.

Her Royal armor was a necessity, but it confined her and prevented her from absorbing the amount of energy she wished to. Due to her temporary rise to power, she would not remove it and opening it, in spite of the more free display of one's skin on her world, would be provocative in her case. She would take a break later and head up high in the atmosphere to recharge fully, likely with some trusted female guards in tow. Again, these were things that she was known to do, and keeping her routine was vital.

Starfire's tactical mind was brilliant, there was no doubt in that. The irony was that it was never displayed on Earth, not that she cared that it hadn't been. There was no need. There was a very strong leader already. It was never a male/female thing, she never minded taking direction from Robin, or later Nightwing; it was just how it was. Ego had no place unless you _were_ leader.

But the politics, the deception, that posed a problem and might have been for her in that position on Earth. Emotions worn on her sleeves, her inability to lie. The sorry attempts she made to hide Silkie when he morphed into mega-Silkie was a great example.

Those characteristics were so rampant on Earth, but Koriand'r had never seen it on Tamaran, or so she thought. And then it hit her – of course she had! Sold to slavery by her family, if that is not a political decision, well, what is? She wished her "trusted advisers" were that, but even those who were once her father's may not be that trustworthy.

She wished Richard were there, and for not the first time considered communicating with him, and this time it wasn't for something personal. She wasn't ready for personal. Working on multiple teams and between them, with governments and intergalactic organizations, he was a great leader and a negotiator as well. Plus, it was well two months since she had left, and she knew that she should at least let him know that she was all right. Kory owed him and the team that much. She had said she was going to the Vega System, to either Tamaran or Okaara, and that she would contact him. She never had so far, and Richard wouldn't have been able to contact her easily without the assistance of the Green Lanterns and probably a lot of favors. Probably a lot of favors borrowed from Batman. Oh sure, he'd be handing those right over to his former junior partner.

Or again, to quote Beast Boy: maybe winged simians might exit out of her posterior.

But outgoing messages, Kory would have better luck. If she couldn't reach the Titans directly, she could reach the Watchtower, and if not, again she could try the Green Lanterns. The Lantern's relationship with the Vega system was tenuous and they weren't present in Sector 2828 at the moment, but they wanted to be, so that would be eager to help.

But Starfire resolved that the first person to consult would be Galfore, still recuperating from horrible injuries from Blackfire's takeover a year ago. His broken back and hip were healed as were his multiple lacerations. It was amazing that he survived. He would never be again be a warrior, but he was up and around finally. In their last correspondence only about 10 days before, Galfore had hoped to return within another cycle of the moon. Starfire had asked him to stay in the palace once he could leave the hospital on the Southern Continent of Kalapatt. But for now, she needed someone she could trust to talk to.

TtTtTtTtTt

To be continued...

TtTtTtTtTt

Yes, the exchange between Starfire and Phyz'zon was meant to be confusing and awkward. It was meant to show her at the crossroads between teenage and adulthood, between Earth and Tamaran, between team member and leader. She is learning to trust her instinct with men and Phyz'zon is sending mixed signals. But if Blackfire and Starfire are going to have a disagreement in how things are to be run when Blackfire come home from Okaara, who will he side with? Does he even know yet?

So thank you for reading and please, please review. This was all current story, obviously a lot of a deteriorating emotional turmoil by both parties.

Next chapter will be more back story including the time surrounding Starfire leaving Earth and the fallout that creates.

TtTtTtTtTt

And if you haven't seen it, please check out my parody/humor piece, "All Things Titan" which I finally updated. The latest chapter describes a time when comic book Robin (Dick Grayson), circa 1981, visits the Cartoon Titans Tower. In the first two chapters, Starfire, metal bikini and all, also circa 1981, visited. Well, she's still there. Find out why Robin of the cartoons has gone from saying, "Works for me!" to "Great, just great..." in a sarcastic tone of voice.


	8. Chapter 8

**Jukebox**

January 9,2010

I always hate when people do this... you think there's an update and instead there's an author's note, but I did owe the reader's of Jukebox this much:

With my apologies, I write to say that Jukebox is indeed on hiatus. After six months I assume that's become obvious. I have reoutlined the entire plot as well as written the next few chapters, but I am unhappy posting it until it's all but had it's final edit and touches.

It has upset me to put it on the back burner, and life has gotten in the way of all of my stories. As I've said, this story is very important to me. I think everyone will be very happy with the end result and I know it will be better when it is presented in a timely manner.

I've always been thrilled with the response to this story. It has been incredible and I always knew I was onto to something here and all of you have affirmed that. In the end, I plan not to disappoint anyone.

Thank you for your continued support, and thank you for reading and reviewing.

Until we meet again,

Airdrie

_**Author's Note 2/15/2013: I'm adding a note to all my fics to tell my readers that yes, all fics will be finished and I am writing. Since this past October I've been dealing with a rather serious and scary health issue. I had medical treatment starting in December and surgery in the beginning of January. E****ven though the outcome was better than expected, t**here is more treatment and surgery likely to come. _

**_My head and heart just isn't always in my writing, and I refuse to just post something for the sake of it, but there are pieces completed of each fic__, so just hang in there for me. Thanks._**

**_All this stands for Jukebox too. I will return to this fic, hopefully soon!_**


End file.
